Believe Different, Live Different

The In Between…

Road trips are great for a little while, but there is always that moment of, “dang! How long have we been in this car!?”

The start of a road trip is awesome. You’ve got your snacks, tunes, and laughter. The end goal is fast approaching, and anxiously awaiting your arrival.

What about the in between?

There is always an in between before arriving at our destination.

I have been reading the Old Testament lately. I have realized a pattern has developed by the time Saul becomes King. Each person who was anointed by God went through and in between time.

God had a destination for Joseph, but years of development took place before he was appointed into leadership. Moseshad some time in the desert before God used him to set his people free. Sauldid not go immediately to the castle to be king. Davidwent back to the field before his time of king came to pass. Jesus even needed time to develop in wisdom, stature, and favor.

God always includes an in between time.

However, I have also noticed that each person had a time of rising to the occasion – each person was given their own opportunity.

I have a dream, but feel very much coasting in the in between time. Questions arise in my heart, and hope flickers. Wondering what or if God is doing something.

Starting out somewhere and arriving at a destination is not the most important part to God. Who you are when you get there matters.

God ushered all of his leaders into place. He gave them all the perfect opportunities. I am sure they all had questions stirring deep down of why they were still in “the field” when their hearts beat for more.

They all had to choose to believe in the one who gave the dream. They all had to trust the words of the one who has something ready for them. Even when the in between felt unnecessary, they all had to wait and develop.

I do to. As much as I fight it, I need the in between. I hope I am ready for that opportunity. Honestly, I still hope it is sooner than later, but I will wait. Well… trying really hard to.

9 Responses

I’m definitely in the middle of an “in between time.” Even though I want to move on along and get on with my life and find a partner to spent it with, I’ve learned that it isn’t time for that yet. I still have some spiritual growing and emotional healing to do. I need to be healthy, happy, and whole as a single person before I can be the right partner for another person. Then I’ll also be able to know what to look for in order to determine if someone else is happy and whole and looking for a partner instead of miserable and fractured and looking for someone to “complete” them.

In the meanwhile, though, I’m not going to sit around and wait for the time to pass. I’ve been spending time re-evaluating where I am and where I need to be, and taking steps to head that direction. I know that, right now, I need to keep my focus on my relationship with God and going deeper and growing spiritually.

so hard to do. That studder step dance of trying to stay by his side and running ahead. Hard balance. Learning to wait has brought more meaning to the verse, “Seek first the kingdom of heaven and all these things will be added to you.” It is true. AS we do the work, and wait, the “additions” come.

Like Nancy, I am waiting (and hoping) for God to put a partner in my life that I can love (His way this time, unlike my failed marriage). I also am waiting for the dread that will come with the end of my dog’s life (she’s 15 and has a few health issues). As Tom Petty once sang, “The waiting is the hardest part,” but I am learning to trust that God will work all things in my life for good.

So sorry about your dog! that is just hard. Hoping you are feeling Him with you in the midst of your grief – with both waiting and with your furry friend. Hoping you catch glimpses of what He is up to in you.

Great thoughts. So true. We live in a quick success, I want everything now culture.

The in between time is the time where you develop patience, wisdom, strength and humility.

The in between time is the time when you wrestle with God and your ego.

The in between time is the time where you have to decide is your dream(vision) really worth pursuing? It is a time to count the cost.

I am not very good at the in between times. But it is where I live most of the time so I must learn to trust, grow, stretch and pray.

One of my favorite quotes that I read often is from comedian, actor, musician and author Steve Martin “I did stand-up comedy for eighteen years. Ten of those years were spent learning, four years were spent refining, and four were spent in wild success.”

such a great quote! I need those reminders all the time. You are right in that we spend the majority of our time and life in the in between. It is hard and frustrating, but I know I am always a better me moving through the process. The way I see it is the choice is either laps around the desert or waiting well in mean time.

Tracee–as always so much good food for thought! I was especially struck by the line, “Starting out somewhere and arriving at a destination is not the most important part to God. Who you are when you get there matters.” I like thinking about not WHAT it will be like when you get there but WHO you will be when you get there. I think the WHAT is an expectation of happiness, success, contentment but those things are all relative and can be fleeting. That dream job you get could suck, that relationship you’ve sought after could be harder than you ever imagined, whatever box you feel like you need to have check to have “arrived” and not be stuck in the inbetween will bring its own set of joys and challenges. I almost bought a poster a few years back that kind of summed up one of my thoughts about this topic. It was stenciled in big, black letters on an old map and simply read: The Journey is the Destination.

I know at the end of my days, I don’t want to look back and think man, oh, man, I sure regret X not happening or I wish that it wouldn’t have taken me two years to settle into a job that was meaningful or that I didn’t have a relationship or kids or that I wish I’d spent more time with those I love or that I wish I’d taken that trip. Whatever it is, I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that what really matters is WHO you are when the waiting has ceased. God changes us both incrementally and majorly to prepare us for what is around the corner, or down the road. We have the power to help seek after our passions and our pursuits and seek God and encouragement in the waiting times.

I heard a speaker recently who had been through some major, major stuff in his life and he said, “Everyone you meet is either going through a tough season of life, has just come out of a tough season of life and is doing well, or is soon heading towards a tough season of life.” I kinda liked that because it illustrated that things do change and even though waiting is really, really tough at times–sooner or later the clouds will part and God will have something good in store. Probably, something bigger and better than our small, finite minds could have hoped for during the “inbetween” time. We won’t wander the desert forever…he is equipping us to do a good work for him. We just have to keep praying, hoping and softening our heart to what Him. Thanks for always being honest, authentic and encouraging. You are one of a kind!

Thank you so much for this Tracee! As I’m heading off to college in a week I’ve been struggling with the “in between” time. Like you said, I have so many dreams and hopes for my future that I want to happen now but The Lord has continuously told me to watch, wait and hope in what he is doing NOW and preparing for me for the future! Love it! Thanks for your words!